Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I am Fire Chief Don Warden. In addition to chairing the government relations committee of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs, I'm also the fire chief of Wasaga Beach, Ontario.
Our submission reflects the views of fire chiefs who participated in our pre-budget survey. Collectively they protect the lives and property of over 13 million Canadians. They are located throughout Canada in communities of all sizes, both urban and rural.
The title of our submission is “The Dangers of Delay”. Those words emphasize the unnecessary danger in which the government places Canadians when it does not forcefully address emergency response issues that are within its power to mitigate.
I will briefly discuss four such subjects during the balance of my allotted time.
First, we recommend that the forthcoming budget provide volunteer firefighters with a personal income tax credit for working to protect their communities. Recruiting and retaining volunteer firefighting personnel is becoming increasingly difficult. This tax credit would provide some financial recognition for the important and dangerous work undertaken by these individuals.
During the previous Parliament, this committee killed Bill C-273, which would have provided an element of financial recognition for the contribution made by the volunteer fire service. In doing so, the committee stated that it was generally supportive of the bill, feeling that “those who provide volunteer emergency services should be recognized by the federal government through the tax system”.
The committee then posed ten questions that it wanted answered prior to further consideration of this matter. The CAFC prepared a reply and filed it with the finance minister in advance of last May's budget. Last week our responses to those questions were sent to all members of this committee for advance consideration.
It is difficult for us to imagine why the committee would permit further delay. Accordingly, we again urge you to recommend tax relief for volunteer firefighter personnel whom you have gone on the record as generally supporting.
Second is our position on automatic sprinkler systems. Fires double in size for every minute they are left unattended. That knowledge led 95% of our pre-budget survey respondents to state that the federal government has an obligation to ensure citizens are protected by automatic sprinkler systems in residences and elsewhere.
A recent Toronto fire saw two fatalities. The Toronto fire chief informed media that in his opinion these deaths could have been avoided if the residences had proper sprinklers.
The CAFC has long urged that the tax system be amended to reflect the importance of encouraging and even requiring the installation of automatic sprinkler systems. Delays by the federal government in acting on our recommendation translate directly into danger for Canadians.
Third, I wish to draw your attention to the federal joint emergency preparedness program, JEPP, which is intended to encourage and support cooperation among federal, provincial, and territorial governments in working towards a national capability to meet emergencies of all types within a reasonable uniform standard of emergency response. This purpose is totally consistent with the statements that appeared earlier this year on restoring fiscal balance in Canada.
Our submission urges the standing committee to embrace the principles that all Canadians deserve basic fire protection services and to ensure adequate federal funding to support this principle. JEPP is the ideal vehicle for this purpose, but funding needs to be increased and a mechanism put in place to ensure it remains responsive to escalating equipment costs for the fire service in the future.
Finally, our brief asks for the support of the standing committee for the creation of an office of the national fire adviser within Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada. At present, no voice exists within the Government of Canada to represent the concerns of the fire service. The CAFC believes that the national fire adviser would fill what we regard as a dangerous void.
Time restrictions preclude me from discussing the detailed role of the national fire adviser during these remarks. However, I would ask you to spend a few moments reading the section of our brief on this subject, beginning on page 4. A comprehensive position paper on this subject is in the hands of PSEPC. I have a copy of it with me today and would be happy to leave it behind if it would be helpful to the committee.
I appreciate your kind attention to our concerns and look forward to discussing them further with you.
Thank you.